Hipkins rules out NZ First after NZ First already ruled out Labour
August 11, 2026
Summarised by Centrist
Labour leader Chris Hipkins has announced that his caucus has unanimously ruled out working with NZ
First after the election, saying the party’s recent conduct makes a governing arrangement impossible.
“There was not a single person in the Labour team who thought that we should be open to working with
NZ First,” Hipkins said.
He argued that Winston Peters and Shane Jones had made their positions “untenable”, and said he had heard from migrant communities facing “more and more overt racism” that was being “emboldened by NZ First”.
NZ First had already ruled Labour out. Peters’ response made that point with characteristic bluntness: “The only thing THICKER than Chris Hipkins ruling me out TWELVE MONTHS AFTER I RULED HIM OUT” was media
coverage treating it as new.
Peters also said NZ First had ruled Labour out four years ago, again 12 months ago and repeatedly since.
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